Saturday 15 September 2012 10.38 EDT
First published on Saturday 15 September 2012 10.38 EDT

John Kear has warned his former club Hull that Danny Brough's recent appointment as the Huddersfield captain represents a major new threat to their play-off hopes.

The Black and Whites are quietly confident of mounting a genuine Grand Final challenge despite finishing sixth in the table, drawing inspiration from the example set by Leeds in winning the title from fifth last season, and from their own recent form.

But Kear, who was Hull's coach when they won their last major trophy, a Challenge Cup final triumph against Leeds in Cardiff in 2005, believes that Huddersfield's Giants have finally woken up after a snooze stretching back almost to Easter, and that Brough could lead them to a shock victory in the last match of the opening weekend of the play-offs at the KC Stadium on Sunday night.

The 29-year-old, who is expected to be England's starting scrum-half in the triangular series against Wales and France at the end of the Super League season, inspired a stunning return to form in his first game as captain against Leeds last Sunday, scoring a try and eight goals in a 48-24 win – Huddersfield's fourth in 14 matches stretching back to mid-May, a run that led to a change of coach with the former Bradford prop Paul Anderson stepping up to replace Nathan Brown.

"It's a masterstroke by Paul Anderson to give Danny the captaincy," said Kear. "Going right back to his early days with York and then Hull, he was always assertive enough to run the team, as all good half-backs do. But becoming a club captain is a bit different, you have to set an example off the field as well at training and team meetings. I think Danny's ready for that now – he's matured a lot.

"Huddersfield were very good in that win against Leeds. A lot of the tries they scored came from Danny's kicking and passing game, and he also scored a good one himself. They could be coming into form at just the right time, and I know Danny will be extra keen to have a big game if it means knocking out Hull.

"I don't think Hull have ever really recovered from letting slip the partnership between him and Paul Cooke that helped us win the cup in Cardiff, and should have been kept together for years to come. That just didn't make sense, and he could make them pay again.

Catalan Dragons will also have to reach Old Trafford the hard way if they are to secure a first Grand Final appearance, having fluffed their first chance in this year's play-offs with a 46-6 drubbing at Wigan on Friday night. Trent Robinson, the Dragons coach, hopes the former England stand-off Leon Pryce will be available in Perpignan for the second round on Friday having missed the Wigan game with a groin problem.

Wigan will now enjoy the luxury of a fortnight to prepare for their semi-final, as their only involvement next weekend will be choosing their semi-final opponents on Sunday lunchtime under Super League's controversial Club Call innovation.

The Wigan coach, like Tony Smith before him 12 months ago, appeared less than enthusiastic about the format. "I've not given that a thought," he said. "I've been hell-bent on winning this game. I will give it some thought now. I'll be watching the rest of the games and I'll sit down with the senior staff and players.

"It's not something I totally agree with but it's something we've got to do."

The extra break will be welcomed by all but one of Wigan's players – Michael McIlorum, the hooker who will now definitely miss the Grand Final, if the Warriors reach Old Trafford. He served the first of a three-match suspension on Friday, and his only chance of returning this season relied on a Wigan defeat that would have forced them to play, and win, on each of the next two weekends.